Presentation on Water in the Energy Industry, by Alistair Wyness, BP, Group Water Expert at 2014 UN-Water Annual International Zaragoza Conference. Preparing for World Water Day 2014: Partnerships for improving water and energy access, efficiency and sustainability. 13-16 January 2014

2. Water in the Energy Industry
Alistair Wyness,
BP, Group Water Expert

3. The Energy
Sustainability
Challenge
10% of global freshwater withdrawals to produce
or process energy
• <0.5% for fossil fuel extraction
• ~0.5% for fuel refining and processing
Consumption considerably less:
• Withdrawn volume for power production
~450km3/annum
• Consumed volume for power production
<50km3/annum
Oil & gas sector has lowered freshwater demands
across all activities:
• e.g. 92% in freshwater withdrawals between
1997-2008 at BP Kwinana refinery, SW Australia
http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/sustainabili
ty/group-reports/BP-ESC-water-handbook-131018.pdf
Clear opportunities to lower freshwater
intensities further

4. REPLACEMENT
Using non-fresh water
sources such as sea
water, brackish water,
produced water and
waste water in place of
fresh water
RE - USE
Using the same water
multiple times in an
industrial process
RECYCLING
Treating wastewater to
make it a usable
replacement for fresh
water in another
application
REGIONAL
RESPONSIBILITY
Adapting practices to suit
the local availability and
demands on renewable
fresh water.
Large opportunities for water management

5. Rising to the Challenge
Kwinana Water Minimisation Project
• Local knowledge is essential
• Water Resource availability and constraints
through watershed/aquifer basin approach
• Understanding long term supply and
demand pressures
• Local Regulatory, Reputational and
Economic Pressures
• Technology development
• Partnerships
• Within the energy industry
• Within the local area
• e.g. Kwinana Refinery, Southwest Australia –
reuse and recycling
•
Partnership lead by BP comprising
industries, local water company and
regulatory authority
•
Investment in tertiary treatment of water
from municipal treatment plant for re-use
as an alternative source of water
•
Reduced BP total water withdrawals by
47% and freshwater withdrawals by 92%
•
Reduced BP annual wastewater treatment
costs by >30%
•
Increased freshwater availability for
municipality
Alistair Wyness
BP International